Checkwriter



H. JAGGER CHECKWRITER March 24, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27,1956 INVENTOR: 1714561 2 @3967" March 24, 1959 H. JAGGER 2,878,749

CHECKWRITER' Filed Jan. 27, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 16/ {f nfmmk ww' 74 INV EN TOR.

H. JAGGER CHECKWRITER March 24, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 27,1956 INVENTOR. Hubs/"2f" Tfgg efi Malch 1959 H. JAGGER 2,878,749

CHECKWRITER Filed Jan. 27, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 5 65 3 65 53 56 66 4 H HH |=1 Fl r=1 H FKIA Lf IN V EN TOR: 4

M mmwaw.

CHECKWRIT ER Hubert Jagger, Maywood, 111., assignor to Theodore B.Hirschherg, Jr.,. Chicago, 111.

. Application January 27, 1956,. Serial No. 561,792

2- Claims. (Cl. 101-20) This invention relates to machines for printingchecks, commonly termed checkwriters, and has to do with means forindicating the printing characters or numbers which are positioned onthe printing line of the checkwriter.

Checkwriters employing printing, segments adjustable about: a common;axis by means of arms extending from thesegments through slots in thefront Wall of the housiugv or casing of the machine are well known. Insuch machines the angular position of the respective printing segmentsusually is indicated by a. series of numbers, the same as the numbers onthe segment, extending along each. slot. and in cooperation withthe armof the segment indicating the. printing character of the latter which isdisposed on the printing line of the checkwriter. There are thus. a.plurality of vertical series or columns of numbers on the front of themachine, one-columnfor each segment, with: the. risk that the operatormay become confused and adjust one or more of the segments incorrectlyfor the amount of the check to be printed.

My invention is directed to avoiding the'necessity for providing aplurality of columns of numbers on the front of the. machine,Whileproviding means for indicating. the. setting of each printingmember or segment, thereby reducing likelihood of confusion and impropersetting. of the Cl'lCCkWl'ltfiL. To that end I provide, at the upperfront portion of thecasing of the. machine, a series of openings, onefor each printing member or segment,

and: means associated with each opening for indicating the setting of.the corresponding segment. The indicating means comprises an index stripunderlying the opening and movable with the corresponding printingsegment, the strip bearingupon itsupper. face numbers similar to thoseon the printing segment and arranged. to be displayed through theopening so as to indicate the character or number of the segment whichis positioned on the printing line of the checkwriter. In order toassure accuracy, I provide means whereby lengthwise movement of theindex strip in either direction relative to its associated printingsegment is prevented. In order to maintain the overall dimensions of thecheckwriter within desirable limits I provide means whereby the indexstrips are coiled about receiving means during movement of the printingsegments in one'dir'ection and are uncoiled therefrom during movementof" the segments in the opposite direction, such means assuring ease inmovement of the index strips in either direction while avoidingobjectionable rubbing pressure contact thereof with parts of. themachine such asmight tend to remove or obliterate the numberson thestrips. The strips-are detachably secured to the segments and to thereceiving means, and the latter, including associated guide means forthe strips, is removable as a unit from the checkwriter to facilitatereplacement and repair as may be required. Further objects andadvantagesof my invention'will appear from the detail description. 7 v

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view,-'partly broken away, of the upper'portion ofacheckwriter embodying my invention;

ice

Figure 2 is a front view, on a reduced scale, relative to Figure 1, ofthe upper portion. ofthe cover panel ofthe casingof the machine ofFigure 1; y

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure2';

Figure 4" is a face view of one of the index strips, a portion of whichis-brokenaway; II

Figure 5' is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of- Figure1; I I

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view ontheorder of Figure 5, of thetop portion of the machine, on an. enlarged scale, showing the positionof an indexstrip when the corresponding. printing segment has beenturned upward. and. rearward to its extreme position in. that direction;

Figure 7 is a: fragmentary front. view, partly broken away, of the indexstrip receiving. means; mounted on. the: side plates of the; frame ofthe checkwriter, ona reduced scale relative to Figure 6; I I

Figure: 8 isa. plan yiew of the index strip receiving means; II I Figure9 is an: end view, on an enlarged scale, of, th index strip receivingmeans of Figure 8; I

- Figure 10 is a front view, on an enlarged scale, of one. of. the indexstrip supports;

Figure 11 is a. side. view of the support of. Figure 10 showing an indexstrip f'ragmentarily and in section at tached to the support; 7

Figure 1211's. a side view of one of the mounting brackets for the indexstrip receiving means; and I I Figure 13 is a side view of the othermounting bracket for the i'ndex strip receiving means. I

The indicating means. ofmy invention may be applied to any suitablecheckwrit'er of known construction and operation such, for example, asthe'ch'eckwriter disclosed in the patent to Arthur G. Rindfleisch,issued Decemher 28, 1954; No. 2,697,981. Accordingly, I' have shown onlythose parts of the machine with which my inventoin is concerned, it"being understood that the machine comprises suitable operating means'for efie'ctin'g the printing operation when the proper numbers orcharacters" are properly aligned on the printing line of the machine, adollar bar at the left of the group of" dollar segments, a cents bar attheleft of the two cents segments an'd'a prefix plate movable inwardlyto' the first dollar segment which is in printing position; as is usualinknoWncheckwriters;

The checkwriter of my'invention is, in general, of k'nown constructionand operation; as above stated, and includes an enclosing casing havingside panels 15- and-a cover panel Iomounted'inassembledrelationon themain frame ofthe checkwriter in' any suitable known manner, The mainframe of the checkwriter comprises side plates 17 and 18 (Figures 5 and7) in' which is mounted across s'haft'19i Printing segments 20- aremounted on shaft 19 for independent turning movement thereabout and areappropriately spacedapart lengthwise thereof. Each of the segments 20 isprovided witha type bar 21 concentric with shaft 19 and having aseriesof printing characters 22 thereonran'gingfrom zero to 9, the zero beingat the leading or forward portion of type bar 21 and the'number ninebeing at the rearward portion thereof. Each of the segments-'20 isprovided, at the upper portion thereof, with an arcuate two-way rack 23,formed by cuttingte'eth therein and concentric with shaft 19. Rack 23 isengaged by a spring pressed ball detent 24 carried by an index' bar 25extending between and mounted in the frame side plates 17 and 18, asdisclosed in the above identified patent. Each of the segments 20 isfurther provided with a forwardly extending finger 26' to which issecured anad justing arm 27 extending forwardly through a slot 28 in thecover panel 16. A finger grip 29 is secured on the 18, as shown.

- 3 forward end of arm 27, by a friction fit thereon. The printingsegments 20 are turned about shaft 19 so as to position on the printingline of the checkwriter appropriate characters for printing the desiredamount of the check,after which the printing operation is performed in aknown manner. It is-assumed that the checkwriter is provided with sixdollars segments and with two cents segments. Referring to Figure 1, itwill be noted that the first five slots 28 extend downward a materialdistance beyond the sixth slot 28b and the two cents slots 280. Thelonger slots 28 permit of the segments 20 corresponding thereto beingturned downward and rearward to a position in' which the zero characterof the type bar 21 is positioned in rear of the printing line so thatthe prefix plate, previously mentioned, can move inwardly to the firstdollars segment in printing position. The length of the sixth slot 28bis such that the corresponding segment can be moved downward andrearward to such position that the, zero character is on the printingline and cannot be moved in that direction beyond that position.Similarly, the two cents segments cannot be moved downward and rearwardbeyond zero position.

Referring to Figure 5, it will be noted that the upper forward portionof the main frame side plate 18 is substantially concentric with shaft19, as is the upper forward portion of the other frame side plate 17.The corresponding portion of the cover panel 16 is curved conformablyond mounting bracket 48, similar to bracket 42, is disposed at the outerface of frame side plate 18, bracket 48 having a forwardly opening slot49 and a forwardly extending finger 50 provided at its lower end with anopening 51. The slot 49 fits snugly about stud 41 and opening 51receives a fiat headed screw 52 passing therethrough and through plate18, the lower end of finger 50 being clamped between plate 18 and a nut53 threaded on screw 52. Bracket 48 is also clamped between plate 18 anda nut 54 threaded on stud 41. Bracket 48 is thus removably mounted onplate 18 and is effectively secured against any objectionable loosenessor play.

The upper portion of each of the brackets 42 and 48 is of rounded orarcuate shape,-as shown more clearly in Figures 12 and 13 and isprovided with two spaced notches 57. An index strip receiving and guidestructure 58, shown more clearly in Figures 8 and 9, extends between theupper ends of the mounting brackets 42 and 48. The structure 58comprises a strip receiving member 59 of arcuate cross sectionconforming to the curvature of the top portions of brackets 42 and 48. Aslotted guide frame 60, formed integrally with the member 59,

' extends forwardly from the lower edge thereof and is to the upperforward portions of the frame side plates 17 a and 18 and is likewisesubstantially concentric with shaft 19. It will further be noted thatthe portion of panel 16 adjacent the upper portions of the slots 28, 28band 280 is ofiset inwardly of the casing to provide an inwardly andrearwardly extending element 32 in the nature of a cross bar of anglecross section the portions of which are connected by a rounded corner orfillet. Each of the segments 20 has associated therewith an index stripsupport 33, shown more clearly in Figures 5, 10 and 11. The support 33conveniently is formed as a sheet metal stamping, is of arcuate formlengthwise, is provided at one side with a laterally offset rearwardlyextending finger 34 of channel cross section and, at its lower forwardend, with a rearwardly directed channel element 35 extending downwardlyfrom support 33 centrally thereof and of materially less width than thelatter. The finger 34 fits about arm 27 of segment 20 and is securedthereto, conveniently by riveting, a short distance inward from thecover panel 16.

'- In the rearward adjusted position of segment 20 shown in Figure 5,the index strip support 33 of the respective segments is disposedsubstantially concentrically with shaft 19 and with the portion ofpanel16 corresponding to the upper. forward portions of the frame side plates17 and Referring to Figures 5 to 7, inclusive, the main frame sideplates 17 and 1-8 are connected, adjacent the tops thereof, by a crossrod 38 suitably secured at its ends therein. I A second cross rod 39extends between the plates 17 and 18 a short distance in rear of thecross rod 38. The left hand end portion of cross rod 39 is of reduceddiameter to provide a stud 40 the outer end of which is headed and iscountersunk in plate 17. The right hand endportion of cross rod 39 isalso reduced in diameter andis threaded a provide a screw stud 41 whichextends through and projects beyond plate 18 at the outer side thereof.A mounting bracket 42, shown more clearly in Figure 13, is disposed atthe inner face of plate 17, this bracket being provided with a forwardlydirected slot 43 which fits snugly about stud 40 of cross rod 39 and iscon- 42 is provided with a downwardly and forwardly extending finger 44having at its forward end an opening 45 which receives a'screw 46passing through plate 17 with its headcountersunk therein, there being anut 47 threaded on fined between plate 17 and the body of rod 39.Bracket screw-46 at the inner face of finger 44. The bracket 42 i isthus removably mounted on plate 17 and is effectively held against anyobjectionable looseness or play. A secprovided with a plurality of slots61 closed at their forward ends by a cross bar 62, the slots 61corresponding in number to the index strips, to be referred to furtherpresently, for receiving and guiding them. At its rearward edge theindex strip receiving member 59 is provided with upwardly and rearwardlyinclined guide fingers 63 respectively aligned with bars 64 separatingthe slots 61 of guide frame 60. The index strip receiving member 59 isfurther provided at its rearward edge with rearwardly extendinganchoring or securing fingers 65 respectively aligned with the slots 61centrally thereof. Member 59 is provided at each end thereof with twospaced tabs 66 of proper size to fit tightly in notches 57 of themounting brackets 42 and 48, with the ends of member 59 between the tabs66 seating against the inner faces of the brackets. After the tabs 66have been forced into the notches 57, the sides of the notches may bepeened over to lock the tabs in position, the brackets 42 and 48 beingthen secured together by means of the index strip receiving member 59.Preferably the brackets 42 and 48 are also secured together by a crossrod 67 extending therebetween with its end portions reduced to providestuds passing through the brackets with their outer ends riveted overfor securing the brackets together in spaced relation. Conveniently theindex strip receiving and guide structure 58 is formed as a metalstamping and when assembled with the brackets 42 and 48 in the mannerabove described provides therewith a unitary structure which may readilybe mounted on and removed from the plates 17 and 18 as conditions mayrequire.

The cover panel 16 is provided with a plurality of observation openings70 aligned transversely thereof and disposed a short distance above theinwardly offset element 32 of panel 16, the lower or inner sides of theopenings 70 being closed by a strip 71 of transparent plastic or othersuitable material adhesively secured to the underside of panel 16. Theopenings 70 are disposed respectively in the vertical planes of theindex strip supports 33 associated with the respective printing segments20. Each of the supports 33 has associated therewith an index strip 72of appropriate length preferably formed from a plastic knowncommercially as Mylsr" which possesses appreciable rigidity while beingreadily flexible. The upper or outer face of each strip has a series ofcharacters or numbers ranging from zero to 9 and arranged on the stripin the same manner in which the printing characters are arranged on thetype bar of the corresponding printing segment. The strip 72 isprovided, at its forward end, with an opening 73 of a width to receivethe channel element 35 of the strip support 33. The distance from thelower edge of opening 73 to the lower edge of the strip 72 is the sameas the interior height; of channel element 35., Inrattachin'g the strip72 to the channel element 35 the. normally lower end of strip 72 isinverted and. is placed over channel elemeat 35, after which the lowerend 74.0f strip 72 is pressed into channel element 35 so as to fitsnugly therein and the strip is. then led upward along the support 33,as will be clear from Figures and 11. The lower end portion 74 of strip72 cooperates with channel element 35 for restraining strip 72 againstlengthwise movement in either direction relative to support 33,'which isof importance in respect to accuracy in indicating the. adjustedposition of the associated printing segment 20. Further, the strip'72may readily be detached from the support 33, for removal or replacement,as required, which is ad vantageous.

When the index strip receiving and guide structure or assembly 58 ismounted'in operative position upon the frame side plates 17 and 18, thestrip guide frame 60 extends forward in underlying relation to theopenings 70 and the strip receiving member 59 is spaced at shortdistance below panel 16, as shown in Figure 5. Each of the index strips72 is led upward over the corresponding support 33 and through thecorresponding slot 61 in guide frame 60, the excess length of the stripbeing coiled about member 59 and cross rod 67 and the rearward end ofthe strip being attached to member 59 by inserting opening 77 at thatend over one of the securing fingers 65. The strip 72 is ofsubstantially greater length than the maximum distance between finger 65and channel element 35 so that when the corresponding segment is in itsextreme downward and forward position shown in Figure 5, the excesslength of the strip remains coiled about the member 59 and rod 67, asshown. In that connection, the strip 72 possesses appreciable rigidityWhile being readily flexible and resilient. The portion of the stripcoiled about member 59 and cross rod 67, due to its elasticity orresiliency, functions in the manner of a coil spring to hold the strip72 under desirable lengthwise tension sufiicient to assure that when theprinting segment 20 is turned upward and rearward, in counterclockwisedirection as viewed in Figure 5, any slack in the strip will be taken upand the additional length of the strip thus rendered available will alsobe disposed,

in coils about the member 59 and cross rod 67. That will be clear fromFigure 6, in which the strip is shown coiled about member 59 and crossrod 67 when the corresponding segment has been moved to its extremeupward and rearward position.

Referring further to Figure 5, it will be noted that the strip 72 passesbeneath cross bar 62 of guide frame 60 and thence downward beneathelement 32 of panel 16 so as to be directly thereby onto the support 33substantially tangent thereto in the downward and forward or clockwisemovement of the printing segment 20. Likewise, when the printing segment20 is turned in the opposite direction the strip 72 is moved rearwardsubstantially tangent to support 33 so as to be coiled about the member59 and cross rod 67 as above described, the element 32 of panel 16preventing buckling of the strip, it being noted that element 32 is ofbut slight width so that strip 72 does not have objectionable rubbingcontact of appreciable extent with any part of the checkwriter.

In Figure 1 it is assumed that the checkwriter is set to print a checkin the amount of $39.00. It will be noted that the first four dollarsegments have been moved downward and rearward beyond zero position, asindicated by the positions of the associated finger grips, the fifthdollar segment has been moved to position in which the number 3 is onthe printing line of the machine, the shrth dollar segment has beenmoved to its uppermost position in which the number 9 is on the printingline, and the two cents segments have been moved downward and rearwardto zero printing positions. The first four openings 70 are blankindicating that the corresponding printing segments are in non-printingposition, the fifth the zero. character indicating that the two centssegments are set at zero printing position. The index strips 72- thusindicate accurately the setting of the respective printing segments andthe openings are disposed at the front upper portion of the checkwriter.soas to be.

readily observed, thus reducing likelihood. of error in, setting of thecheckwriter for printing acheck for a desired amount.

Conveniently the panel 60 is providedwith a front opening normallyclosed by a door 79 releasably secured closed in a known manner, andwith a rear opening normally closed by a door.80 also releasablysecuredv closed in a known manner. The doors 79 and 80, when opened,give access to the. anchoring means at the ends of the strips whereby astrip may be removed or replaced as required. The panels 15 and 16 ofthe casing are removably mounted on the main frame of the machine, asabove indicated, and upon removal thereof the strip receiving and guideassembly, including the mounting brackets 42 and 48, may readily beremoved as a unit, and as readily replaced, as may be necessary ordesired.

It will be understood that changes in detail may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the field and scope of my invention, and I intend toinclude all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims, in this application in which the preferred form only of myinvention has been disclosed.

I claim:

1. In a checkwriter, a frame comprising spaced apartside plates, acasing enclosing said frame and having at its upper portion a pluralityof observation openings spaced apart transversely thereof, a pluralityof printing segments disposed below and forwardly of said openings andmounted for independent adjustment about a common substantiallyhorizontal axis, each of said segments bearing a series of printingcharacters selectively disposable in a predetermined angular positionabout said axis by adjustment of said segment, a support carried by eachof said segments extending therefrom upwardly toward said openings andsubstantially concentric with said axis, mounting brackets releasablysecured to said side plates, a strip receiving member carried by saidbrackets extending between said plates in proximity to and in rear ofsaid openings, a slotted guide frame extending forwardly from saidreceiving member and closed at its front by a cross bar, said bracketsand strip receiving member and guide frame being removable as a unitfrom said side plates, and flexible index strips respectively releasablyanchored at their forward ends to the forward ends of said supports andanchored at their rearward ends to said receiving member, each of saidstrips seating on and overlying the corresponding support and underlyingone of said openings and having on its upper face characters similar tothose of the corresponding printing segment and disposed to be exposedthrough the corresponding opening and to indicate the character of thesegment disposed in said predetermined angular position, the respectiveindex strips being resilient and of a length materially greater than themaximum distance between said receiving member and the forward end ofthe corresponding support and the excess length of the strip beingcoiled loosely about said receiving member providing a coiled springelement effective for maintaining the strip under lengthwise tension inthe adjustment of the corresponding printing segment, said cross barbeing disposed to direct said strips onto the respective supportssubstantially tangentially thereof during downward and forward movementof the respective segments.

2. In a checkwriter, a casing having an observation opening, a printingsegment disposed below and forwardly of said opening and adjustableabout a substantially horizontal axis, said segment bearing a series ofprinting characters selectively disposable in printing position byadjustment of said segment, an arcuate support carried by said segmentextendingtherefrom upwardly toward said-opening and substantiallyconcentric with said axis, and a resilient and flexible index stripoverlying and seating on said support and underlying said opening, saidstrip being bent about said segment conformably to the arcuate curvaturethereof and thereby placed under transverse tension in the adjustment ofsaid segment,-said support having at--its leading end a transversechannel element opening toward said axis and said strip having anopening space from its forward end a distance equal to the interiorheight of said channel element, the -forward end portion of said stripbeyond said opening fitting snugly between the flangesof said channelelement and being urged inwardly of the latter by the inherentresiliency of the strip when it is bent about said support,

said forward end portion of said strip in cooperation with the flangesof said channel element restraining said strip against endwise movementin either direction relative to said support in the adjustment of saidsegment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS735,463 Butterworth Aug. 4, 1903 773,102 See Oct. 25, 1904 1,909,141'Woodward May 16, 1933 1,916,538 Smith"; July 4, 1933 2,111,362 FisherMar. 15, 1938 2,231,237 Welter Feb. 11, 1941 2,664,633 Reich Jan. 5,1954 2,697,981 Rindfleisch Dec. 28, 1954 2,786,411 Welter Mar. 26, 1957

